Railway-switch-operating mechanism.



PATENTED JULY-2; r1907;

- H. RAYMOND.

RAILWAY SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV.-16. 1906.

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PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY RAYMOND, OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN.

RAILWAY-SWITCH-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1907.

Application filed November 15, 1,906. Serial No. 843,606.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY RAYMOND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kenosha, in the county of Kenosha and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switch-0perating Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a combined, automatically and manually operated railway switch operating mechanism and is adapted more particularly as an improvementover a former patent issued to me on March 27, 1906, 816,254.

The object of my invention is to provide means for automatically closing the switch when the same has been accidentally or otherwise left open.

A further object is to provide means for locking the switch when automatically closed at the same time leaving the manually op erating mechanism in its opened position.

A still further object is to provide means for maintaining a fixed relationship between portions of the manually and automatically operating mechanisms when the switch is being operated manually.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter re ferred to and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this application, Figure 1 is a plan view of a section of railway track and switch mechanism cooperating therewith. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of a track showing a portion of an engine and operating wheel carried thereby. Fig. 3 is a sectional View on an enlarged scale as seen from line 33 Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the position of the locking mechanism when the switch is open. Fig. 5 is a similar View showing the position of the locking mechanism when the switch is being automatically closed. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the position of the locking mechanism when the switch has been automatically closed, and, Fig. 7 is a sectionalview showing the position of the mechanism when the switch is manually closed.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 and 2 indicate the track rails which are 'mounted on the usual form of cross ties 3, and 4 and 5 indicate the switch rails. The end of the switch rail 4 is adapted to move laterally while the track rail 2 is provided with a movable end 6, said movable ends being secured together by means of an adjustable bar 7 so that said movable ends will be operated in unison. The bar 7 is connected at one end to an arm 8 which is provided at its free end with a head 9 to which is adapted to be connected a combined manual and automatic switch operating mechanism and to this end I have provided the usual or any preferred form of switch stand 10 upon which is mounted and adapted to rotate a standard 11, said standard having an operating lever 12 rigidly secured thereto and by which means the standard 11 is rotated. Fixedly secured to the standard 11 and adjacent the lower end thereof is a swinging arm 13 to the free end of which is pivotally secured one end of a housing 14. Entering the opposite end of the housing 14 is a rod 15, the outer end of which is pivotally connected to the head 9 while the inner end thereof is provided with a right angled extension 16 for a purpose to be hereinafter referred to. The rod 15 and housing 14 complete the connection between the switch stand and the movable portion of the switch rails and in order to form a rigid connection between the housing and rod 15 when the switch is being manually operated I pivotally mount within the housing 14 a finger 17, the upper end of which is adapted to engage a beveled face 18 at the inner end of the rod 15, said finger being normally held into engagement with the beveled face by means of a spring 19 which is secured in any preferred manner within the housing and in such position as to direct pressure against the finger at all times.

In order to firmly hold the finger into engagement with the inner end of the rod 15 when the switch is being opened or closed manually, the swinging arm 13 is provided with a curved projection 20 at one side of and concentric with its pivot point 21, so that when the switch is being opened or closed the projecting end 22 of the finger 17 will engage the outer periphery of the curved projection 20 and it will be seen that when the projecting end 22 is in engagement with the curved projection 20 that the finger can not be moved away from the end of the rod 15 thereby making a rigid connection between the head 9 and swinging arm l3 and V I by this construction it will be seen that the switch may be readily opened or closed by rotating the standard 11 manually. I

If for any reason the switch should be left open so that an approaching train would enter the switch instead of remaining upon the main track I have providedmeans for automatically closing the switch without: stopping the train and to this end I have provided a. depression rail 23 which is preferably disposed mid-.

way between the track rails 1 and 2 and pivoted at one end within a trough like receptacle 24 which isin turn secured in any preferred manner to the cross ties 3.

Pivotally secured to the free end of the depression rail 23 is-a link 25, to the lower end of which is pivotally secured one arm of a bell crank lever 26 said lever being pivotally secured to one of the ties adjacent the free end of the depression rail. Pivotally secured to the opposite arm of the bell crank lever 26 is a rod 27 which extends to one side of the track way and is secured to one arm of a bell crank lever 28 which is pivotally mounted upon the upper surface of the tie containing the bell crank lever 26. A rod 29 is pivotally secured to the opposite arm of the lever 28 and extends into connection with a similar bell crank lever 30 which is mounted in any preferred manner upon one of the ties adjacent the housing 14, the opposite arm of this lever likewise having a rod 31 which is pivotally secured at its free end to the head 9thereby completing the connection between the depression rail and the switch mechanism.

In order to protect the depression rail 23 and prevent snow, sleet and the like from interferring with the operation of therail I have provided a hood 32 which is disposed over the upper face of the depression rail and is provided with depending flanges 33 which are of sufficient length to extend below the upper edge of the receptacle 24 when the depression rail is elevated thereby forming a complete covering for the rail and receptacle.

When the engine 34 approaches the switch and the switch is left open, a channeled wheel 35 carried by the engine will engage the rail 23 and depress the same and through the medium of the link 25, rods 27, 29 and 31, and bell crank levers 26, 28 and 30, the switch is closed. When the switch is closed in this manner the rod 15 is moved inwardly within the housing 14 until the right angled extension 16 is directed into engagement with a latch 36, said latch being directed into engagement with the extension by means of a spring 37 secured in any preferred manner within the housing.

As soon as the rod 15 starts'on its inward movement the pressure of the spring 19 is overcome and the finger 17 movedto one side of the path of the rod and the swinging of the finger upon its pivot point directs the projecting end 22 into engagement with a shoulder 38 formed at the end of the curved projection 20 which will result in preventing the arm 13 from yielding or swinging after the projecting end is seated upon the shoulder.

When it is desired to open the switch after the same has been automatically closed a key (not shown) is inserted within a key hole 39 formed in the upper face of the housing 14 after which the key is directed into engagement with the latch 36 and the same disengaged from the right angled extension 16, when the switch may be opened in any preferred manner as by disposing a coiled spring 40 within the receptacle 24 and below the free end of the depression rail 23 so that as soon as the latch is released from the extension 16 the spring 40 will elevate the depression rail 23 and open the switch and as soon as the rod 15 has been extended a sufficient distance the finger 17 will again engage the beveled face 18 and release the projecting end 22 from the shoulder 38 after which the standard 11 may be rotated and the switch closed manually.

It will now be seen that I have provided a cheap and economical device and one that will be positive in its operation. It will also be seen that I have provided a mechanism which may be operated manually or automatically to close the switch.

It will further be seen that I have provided automatic' means for holding certain parts ot the device rigid when the same is used manually or automatically.

What I claim is:-

1. The combination with track rails and switch rails cooperating therewith, said rails having movable ends; of an adjustable bar between and connecting said movable ends, an arm secured to one end of said bar, a head at the free end of said arm, a rod pivotally secured to said head, a housing surrounding one end of said rod, a right angled extension on said rod within the housing, a standard, an arm on said standard and pivotally secured to said housing, means pivotally secured within said housing and extending from said arm to said extension adapted to hold said rod normally rigid with the housing and means to engage said extension and lock the same when the rod is moved longitudinally within the housing.

2. lhe combination with track rails, switch rails cooperating therewith, said rails having movable ends and means to connect said movable ends; of a standard, an arm fixedly secured to said standard, a curved projection on said arm, a housing pivotally secured to said arm, a rod pivoted to said connecting means and extending into said housing, a finger pivotally secured within said housing one end of which is adapted to engage said rod while the opposite end projects from the housing and engages said curved projection whereby said rod will be held rigid with the housing when the switch is being opened or closed.

3. A device of the class described the combination with switch rails having movable ends and means to connect said ends together; of a depression rail, a trough like receptacle for said depression rail, said rail being pivotally secured at one end within said receptacle, :1 spring under the free end of said rail, a hood having flanges thereon adapted to extend over said rail and receptacle, a plurality of rods disposed between said connecting means and depression rail, bell crank levers operatively connecting said rods, a link pivotally secured to said depression rail and one of said bell crank levers whereby when said rail is depressed the switch will be closed and means lfor locking said switch in its closed position.

-l. The combination with the movable ends of switch rails, a bar connecting said movable ends and an arm so cured to said bar; of a standard, a swinging arm rigid with said standard, a curved projection on said arm. :1 shoulder at one end of said curved projection a housing pivotally secured to said arm, a rod pivoted to said first mentioned arm and extending into said housing, a righl angled extension on said rod, means to :ultomatically close said switch and direct said rod into the housing, a latch in said housing adapted to engage said extension and lock the switch closed and a finger pivoted in said housing having one of its ends projecting from said housing adapted to engage the shoulder on said swinging arm and prevent movement thereoi when the switch is being automatically closed.

5. In a device of the class described the combination with a switch; ot' a standard, a swinging arm secured to said standard, a curved projection on said arm, a shoulder at one end of said projection, a housing pivotally secured to said arm, a rod pivotally secured to said switch and having its opposite end disposed within said housing, a finger pivotally secured within said housing, and adapted to normally engage the end of said rod, means to hold said finger into engagement with said rod and a projecting end on said finger adapted to extend beyond said housing and engage said projection when the switch is being opened or closed manually whereby a rigid union is formed between said housing and rod.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY RAYMOND.

Witnesses:

ALF. B. CELANDER, CHAS. S. PAULSEN. 

